If you're not familiar with the Seussian concept of a "thneed," then you thneed to get in the loop (I'm sorry). A thneed, according to the ever-relevant Dr. Seuss Wiki, is "a highly versatile object knitted from the foliage of a Truffula Tree." Think The Lorax. And if you're obsessed with all things thneedy, then you might also be obsessed with Rachel Leah, the internet's designated thneed girl. Rachel has made her mark on social media by identifying thneed-like items all over TikTok, starting way back with her first viral video in 2021. Rachel even has a video series on her channel calling out celebs who wore thneeds to the Met Gala.
Distractify chatted with Rachel to learn more about her celebrity crush, her first concert, and more!
What’s your favorite color?
RL: Pink, but I’m sure that’s not even a surprise at this point.
What’s your favorite TV show?
RL: I have been so hooked on Love Island lately. I loved Australia Season 4.
What’s your go-to-karaoke song?
RL: "Stars Are Blind" by Paris Hilton or "Gucci Flip Flops" by Bhad Bhabie.
Tell us about the first concert you ever attended.
RL: My first REAL concert experience was Fall Out Boy back in 2008 — I snuck into the pit, crowd surfed, and left a completely changed person with a huge love for live music.
Tell us about the best meal you've ever had.
RL: I still dream about a crab boil I had in Charleston, S.C. Everything about it was perfect. They have some of the most incredible seafood in Charleston.
What’s your most-used emoji?
RL: I often have an emoji of the week — right now it’s the saluting emoji 🫡 (I swear I use this one about 1,000 times a day), the hand heart 🫶, and the smiling with a tear in the eye face 🥲.
If you had to get a tattoo right now, what would it be?
RL: I already have an appointment booked to get a Kiki’s Delivery Service tattoo in just a few weeks! Other than that, I’d like to get a little tribute for my dog of 13.5 years that passed.
Who’s your celebrity crush?
RL: Brendan Fraser, no hesitation (#PraiseTheFrase) and Matthew Lillard.
Shout out one of your favorite fellow creators!
RL: Right now I’m obsessed with that girl that does the Snoopy edits.
Describe your dream collaboration.
RL: I’d love to partner with a clothing brand to create an accessible/adaptable garment, kind of like a thneed! I think that would be amazing to help people of all abilities and body types express themselves.
If you couldn’t be a content creator, what would your dream job be?
RL: I would have loved to continue dancing — I was a trained dancer from the time I was 2 up until my sophomore year of college but had to stop due to time restraints and minor injuries that I didn’t want to make any worse. I miss it every day.
Share your top three desert-island necessities.
RL: I’m assuming this means other than the bare-bones food/water/shelter necessities.
- Cherry Vanilla Coke Zero (I will die if I don’t have a fun little beverage)
- My cat Garfield
- My SPF
What’s your No. 1 distraction?
RL: If I hear skateboard wheels roll by on the sidewalk, I WILL be turning around or running to the nearest window to see who is skating by.